Porch-column turning and boring machine.



J. BUFFELEN. PORCH COLUMN TURNING AND BORING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1906.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

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J. BUFFELEN.

PORCH COLUMN TURNING AND BORING MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1906.

904,044. Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

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PORGH COLUMN TURNING AND BORING MACHINE. APPLIOATIOK IILBD we. 31, 1906.

904,044. Patented Nov. 17, 1908 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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J. BUFPELEN.

PORGH GOLUMN TURNING AND BORING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1908.

904,044. Y Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

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J. BUFFELEN.

PORGH COLUMN TURNING AND BORING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1906.

904,044. Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

N W N Witnuoeo JOHN BUFFELEN, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

PORCH-COLUMN TURNING AND BORING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1'7, 1908.

Application filed August 31, 1906. Serial No. 332,819.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JonN BUFFELEN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Porch- Column Turning and Boring Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to machines for turning and boring porch columns from solid square timber, and has for its objects to provide improved means whereby the timber may be held and rotated while it is being turned and bored; second, to provide removable intermediate supports for the column; and to give the squared timber its preliminary rough cut, its finishing cut and bore out its core all at the same time. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of my machine showing a completed column mounted therein. Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of one of the standards showing the parts arranged for allowing the column to be inserted or withdrawn, and Fig. at is a similar View, showing the column held in place therein. Fig. 5iis a vertical longitudinal section of the rotating column holder and the upper part of the standard, and Fig. 6 is a plan thereof. Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section of the central part of my machine on the line 77 in Fig. 8 showing the rough cutter and the finishing back-knife. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the central part of my machine on a larger scale than Fig. 1, and Fig. 9 is a similar rear elevation thereof, both of said views showing the column onehalf made.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The frame of my improved machine consists of the two small end standards 1, the two larger intermediate or main standards 2 and the three joining tables 3 The end standards 1 are shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and are made hollow. The central standards 2 are of similar construction, but are somewhat larger. These standards 2 are provided with sliding tops which are fully described hereinafter. The tables 3 are shaped like inverted channel beams,

as clearly shown in Fig. 1. These tables are securely fastened to the standards and have their surfaces properly finished off to support and guide all of the longitudinally movable parts of the machine.

The mechanism mounted on the frame above described may be classed and described as (1) mechanism for holding and rotating the square timber to be turned, (2) mechanism for rough cutting it to shape, mechanism for finishing the cohunn, (4) mechanism for supporting the column while being turned intermediate of the main standards, and (5) mechanism for boring the core of the timber out.

Taking the first class of mechanism, as above enumerated, special reference may be made to Figs. 3, L, 5 and (i, in which this mechanism is illustrated in detail. All of this mechanism is in two duplicate sets, one in connection with each of the two standards 2, so that a description of one will be understood to apply to both sets. The top of the standard 2 is provided with two grooves into which the dovetail tongues l on the bottom edge of the sliding tops 5 fit. The top of the standard 2 is provided with a central opening adapted to allow the hereinafter mentioned belt to have perfectly free play therein. Semicircular flanges 6 project inward from the sides of the standard 2 and surround semi-circular openings 7 therethrough, the said flanges being adapted to enter into the end cavities of the column holder as shown in Fig. 5, and the said openings 7 being large enough to allow the square timber of the column to turn on its axis without touching the standard 2 A pair of bearing plates S are adj ustably bolted to the inner sides of the standard 2 as shown in Figs. 3, L, 5, and G, the bearing edges of said plates being concentric with the semicircular flanges G and spaced therefrom so as to bear below the outer surface of the column holder, which is supported from downward movement thereby, and which is kept from upward movement by the said semicircular flanges 6 which enter the circular cavities in its ends. The central axis of all the circles in this set of mechanism is the cent 'al transverse line of the top plane of the standard 2. As above indicated, the standard 2 is provided with a sliding top 5 This top is made in two similar parts divided along the central vertical transverse plane, each part being adapted to slide on the top of standard 2 from its innermost position outward, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, respectively. The parts 5 are made hollow with a central belt hole 9 and with sides cut away at as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, to fit around the column holder and to allow the square timber of the column to rotate without touching it. The upper edges of the two parts 5 meet above the center of the column and are beveled ofi very slightly in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 6. The parts 10 of the sliding tops 5 complete the bearings for the column holders and act in conjunction with the parts 6 and 8 above described.

The sliding tops 5 are pressed into place by means of the levers 11 which are pivoted at 12 to the standard 2 and are connected by the link 13 to the foot lever 1 1, also pivoted to the standard 2 The levers 11 are arranged in the central plane of the standards and are shaped so as to pass from the outside into the inside thereof, the link 13 acting practically vertically under the center point of the standard. The lever 14 is made double, having two main arms, one under each standard 2, which are bent near their ends so that the ends come between the standard 2 A foot-board 15 joins the ends of the levers 14. Thus by stepping on the board 15 all four of the levers 11 are pressed in pairs towards the central axis of the machine, each pair engaging one of the column holders to complete the bearings therefor as above described. lVhen the lever 14 is released, the tops 5 may be'moved outward by hand, by weight, or by spring.

The column holder consists of a cylindrical body having a square axial hole therein adapted to receive the column. This body is supported by the above described devices and supports the column, and is itself rotated by a belt 16 which engages its central part and which passes through the holes made therefor in the standard 2 and the sliding top 5 as above described.

In order that a column may be inserted and removed from the machine without removing the column holder, I have constructed it in the following manner: The main part 17 is semi-cylindrical in shape and has two of the sides of the square axial hole formed in it, the said sides being cut into the part 17 at angles of 45 degreeseach to the plane thereof, thus cutting the said square hole at its longest diameter. Hinged to this part 17 are two opposite similar quartocylindrical parts 18 which complete the cylindrical form of the body when they are closed together, and which also at the same time complete the square axial hole therethrough, but which open out from the body l7 as shown in Fig. 3, in such a manner gear wheel 2 as to open the square hole and to allow the square timber of the column to be inserted thereinto "or withdrawn therefrom. These parts 18 can only be opened when the sliding tops 5 are withdrawn from contact therewith and they are locked into their closed position by the pressure of the sides 1O of said tops 5 Thus it will be seen that a square column timber may be moved into or out of the machine by raising the lever 14, which separates the parts 5 and by opening the quarto-cylindrical parts 18 of the holders.

The square timber having been mounted in the column holders and being rotated on the machine by the belts 16 the second set of mechanism next comes into consideration, namely, the mechanism for rough cut ting it into shape. This mechanism is shown in Figs. 1, 7, 8 and 9. Referring principally to Fig. 7, it will be seen that the table 3 joining the two main standards 2 is provided with an overhanging lug 19 on its upper face, said lug running the entire length between the standards 2. A side bearing plate 20 also extends practically the entire distance between the standards 2. A carriage 21 rides on the table 3 bearing principally on the parts l9 and 20 and being held and guided thereby in its longitudinal motion along the central portion of the machine. This mo-. tion is obtained from the rotating feed screw 22 which extends from end to end of the machine and which drives the said carriage 21 and the two end boring carriages here inafter described. The screw 22 passes through a suitable box 23 in the carriage 21 without touching the sides thereof and engages therein with a removable key 23 which may be brought into engagement therewith or withdrawn therefrom by the operator of the machine, thus allowing the said carriage to be moved on its tracks 19 and 2O independently of the screw 22 The key 23 is rectangular in form and is provided at its outer end with a knob or handle 23 and at its inner end with a segment of a screw-thread 23, which engages the thread of the screw 22 when the key is pushed into its engaging position, but which releases the screw 22 from all connection with the carriage 21 when the key is drawn out therefrom. A shaft 24, which is keyseated from end to end, is mounted in bearings in the standards 2 and extends from one of said standards to the other and is rotated by a belt 25 engaging a suitable pulley thereon. This shaft passes through two parallel upwardly extending ears of the carriage 21 The two arms 26 are mounted loosely on the shaft 2 1 between the two ears of the carriage 21 and are radially and longitudinally movable thereon. A 7 is mounted on the shaft 24 between the arms 26 being keyed thereto so as to rotate therewith, but being free to move longitudinally thereon with the carriage 21 A train of gears is mounted between the arms 26 and meshes with the said gear 27 the last of said train carrying a rotating roughing tool 28, which moves longitudinally with the carriage 21 and is rotated by the shaft 2 1. The position of this tool 28 relatively to the square timber of the column is varied so as to produce, in the rough, approximately the desired shape of the column. This is attained by means of the irregularly shaped guide track 29 secured to the top of the table 3 which is engaged by a downward projection 30 secured to one of the arms 26 Thus as the carriage 21 moves longitudinally along the table, it carries with it the rotating cutter 28 which is raised or lowered by the track 29 into or away from the rotating timber and thus varies the diameter thereof.

The third class of mechanism of this machine consists of the devices for finishing the cutting of the column. To the inner sides of the main standards 2 are fastened, at a point slightly to the rear of the center, the two vertical guides 31 which are provided at their upper ends with projections adapted to hold and form a bearing for the vertical feed screws 32 which are journaled therein and in the lower boxes 33 secured to the standards 2 These feed screws 32 have bevel gears 34 at their lower ends, said gears meshing with bevel gears 35 mounted on a horizontal shaft 36 which is suitably mounted on bearings on the standards 2. The shaft 36' is rotated by means of the sprocket chains 37 extending between suitable sprocket wheels mounted on the horizontal feed screw shaft 22 and on the shaft 36', as shown principally in Figs. 3 and ''l, the said sprocket mechanism being placed preferably within the hollow part of the standards 2 Thus the vertical feed screws 32 turn with the horizontal feed screw 22 The guides 31 are also provided with vertical dovetail slots 3S into which the ends of the inclined rear bar 39 fit. This bar is preferably formed similar to a channel bar, but has enlargements near its ends through which the feed screws 32 pass. A back knife 40 is secured to the rear bar 39 and is shaped so that by its vertical movement past the rotating column timber it will finish said column to its required design, the knife being made with varying thicknessin a horizontal plane to correspond with the varying diameter of the different parts of the column. The knife is slightly inclined as indicated in Figs. 2 and 7 so that after its cutting point at any section has passed the horizontal plane of the column, the upper part of the knife will not touch the column which is at that point in its finished condition. The whole knife is inclined at about 30 degrees so as to have a shaving action as well as a planing action on the column as it comes in contact with it, and further, so as to out said column continuously and successively from one end to the other, the point of cutting traveling slightly behind the rough cutter above de scribed.

The fourth class of mechanism relates to devices for supporting the column, intermediate of its main supports in the standards 2. To the rear side of the channel table are secured the vertical guide lugs 41 in which freely slide the vertical supporting bars 42, shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the said bars 42 being adapted to be raised into contact with the lower side of the column as it is rotating and to support it by upward pressure thereon. These bars 12 are provided with side lugs 43 through which pass the adjusting set screws 4% and under which slides the horizontally longitudinally movable raising bar 45 This bar 4:5 rests on the table 3 and has its upper surface in two levels connected together by a curved inclined part. When the bar 4C5 is withdrawn (towards the right in Figs. 1 and 8) both of the bars 42 rest on its lower level, but as it advances toward the left, the right-hand bar 42 is gradually raised by the inclined part until it touches the column (when it rests on the upper level of the bar 45 As the bar 4L5 travels farther, the righthand bar 42 remains in contact with the column, and the left-hand bar 41-2 is raised into contact. The bar 15 is moved by a bar 46 which is secured to the carriage of the right-hand boring mechanism here inafter described. The bar 46 passes through the standard 2 (as shown in Figs. 3 and at) and engages in a horizontal. slot 17 in the bar (Fig. 9), so that said bar 4L5 will not need to move as far as does the said boring mechanism. The position of the inclined part of the bar 4'5 is arranged so that the bar 42 will be raised immediately after the back knife 10 has passed the point where it will bear against the column; this is clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 9 in which the knife has just finished one-half of the column, while the rough cutter is slightly in advance thereof.

The fifth class of mechanism in my machine is a pair of boring or drilling tools to take out the core of the timber so as to render it lighter for shipping purposes. This mechanism is mounted on the ends of the machine and consists of stationary guides, or holders 48 secured to the tables 3 close to the ends of the column and through which the rotating boring tools 49 pass. These tools are provided with cutting or boring ends and screw shaped chip and dust removers. The tools 459 are mounted at their outer ends in the carriages 50 which are somewhat similar in form to the carriage 21 and which are supported by the end tables 3 and are forced forward by the feed screws 22, whose threads are cut in opposite directions so that the said carriages 50 approach each other during the process of boring the column. The carriages 50 also carry arms 51, which extend down and around a slotted shaft 52 rotated by a belt 53 A pulley is carried on the shaft 52 between the arms 51 and is connected by the belt 54c to a pulley mounted on the tool 4-9. The shaft 52 extends from end to end of the machine and rotates the tool 19 in every position thereof.

Thus it will be seen that after a column timber is inserted in the holders as above described and the machinery is set in motion; the timber is rotated; the rough cutter is rotated and moved longitudinally, so as to bring the timber to approximately the required shape; the back knife is drawn down and finishes the column a few inches behind the rough cutter; the intermediate support raising bar moves and raises first one and then the other of the supports into contact with the column; and the boring tools are forced into the two ends of the timber and bore out its core.

Having, therefore, described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A column holder and rotating device comprising a cylindrical pulley, having a shaped hole in its center adapted to fit the column, and being formed of one semicylinder and two complementary quarto cylinders, each of said quarto-cylinders being hinged to opposite sides of the semicylinder; a belt engaging the center of said pulley and rotating it; and double bearings engaging the pulley on each side of the belt, and each comprising 1 fixed semicylindrical lower portion in which the pulley rests and two complementary quarto-cylindrical upper portions completing said bearing and engaging the pulley, the two quarto-cylindrical portions on a side being formed in one casting and each casting being adapted to be slid horizontally away from the axis of said bearing, whereby said bearing is opened and removed from over said quarto-cylindrical parts of the pulley and said parts may be opened to allow access to the hole in the pulley.

2. A column holder and rotating device comprising a cylindrical pulley, having a shaped hole in its center adapted to fit the column, and being formed of one semicylinder and two complementary quartocylinders, each of said quarto-cylinders being hinged to opposite sides of the semicylinder, said pulley being recessed in its ends to form an annular flange at each end; a belt engaging the center of the pulley and rotating it;

and double bearings engaging the pulley on each side of the belt and each comprising a fixed sen'iicylindrical lower portion in which the pulley rests, a concentric semicircular portion entering the said recess in the end of the pulley and engaging the lower inner edge of said annular flange to hold the pulley down, and two complementary quartocylindrical upper portions completing said double bearings and engaging the outer surface of the pulley, the two quarto-cylindrical portions on a side being formed in one casting and each casting being adapted to be slid horizontally away from the of said bearing, whereby said bearing is opened and removed from over said quarto-cylindrical parts of the pulley and said parts may be opened to allow access to the hole in the pulley.

3. In a column turning machine, the combination of a supporting standard with semicircular bearings formed therein; semicircular lugs concentric with said bearings, and of less radius, formed on said standard; oppositely sliding castings 011 said standard each provided with complementary quadrant bearings completing the circles of said bearings; and a cylindrical openable column holder journaled in said completed bearings and having circular recesses in its ends engaged by said semicircular lugs on the standard, but being free from engagement with any part of said sliding castings.

a. In a column turning machine, the combination of a supporting standard with parallel coaxial semicircular bearings formed in its two sides, with belt-space therebetween, said bearings being joined by the upper portion of said standard; guideways formed in the upper portion of said standard on each side of the axis of said bearings and at right angles thereto; two complementary castings mounted in said guideways and each provided with two parallel co-axial quadrant bearings, complementary to each other and in the same vertical planes with the semicircular bearings, said quadrant bearings completing the circles of the two bearings, with belt-space therebetween, and

said castings being adapted to be slid in the guideways away from each other and from the bearing to permit the removal therebetween of the column from the column holder; and a single cylindrical column holder j ournaled in both of said bearings and extending therebetween and adapted to be engaged and rotated by a belt between said bearings, said column holder being formed of openhinged thereto but separated from each other and completing the cylinder with said semicylindrical body. I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN BUFFELEN.

able sections locked closed by the bearings when the bearings are completed but openable when the said castings are separated.

5. In a column turning machine, the com- "5 bination of two separated parallel co-axial bearings; and a column holder mounted therein and extending therebetween, and having a cylindrical outside form when Witnesses: closed, and formed by a semicylindrical body ELLIS LEWIS GARRErsoN, 10 and two quarto-cylindrical bodies, e'achl CARL F. I-IELM. 

